Harry Potter and the Second Yule Ball
by Nocturna
Summary: Ok, Ok, I know it's a lame title, but Ron and Hermione "discover" each other...and there's a new transfer student...who is she, really?


Hello my fellow psychos! This starts at chapter 13 because it was originally designed for the fifth book… so chapter 13 is actually chapter 1…confusing. We live in a confusing world.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nobody except Fatima Haidi and Cecilia. THEY ARE MINE, ALL MINE!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!  
  
PS- If by some small chance J.K. Rowling is reading this, feel free to use it in your fifth book, WHICH IS COMING ALONG TOO SLOWLY SO PLEASE HURRY UP!! Don't worry, I won't sue you if you dedicate the book to me! Thank you.  
  
  
  
  
  
Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Quidditch tryouts  
  
Harry shouldered his Firebolt and sidled down to the quidditch field. He longed to try his skill, supposing he was rusty after not playing for a year. Wondering who was now quidditch captain, he ran up to the remaining players. Fred and George jumped on him, ruffling his hair.  
  
"Harry, old boy!"  
  
"How long has it been?"  
  
"A day? Two hours?"  
  
Alicia and Katie hugged him. "Good old Harry."  
  
Katie indicated the person standing off to the side looking nervous. "This is Fatima Haidi, Harry. She's just transferred from India. Go on, say hello!"  
  
Harry looked at the dark-skinned girl. She had a gold bindi between her eyes and pink and gold silk scarf wrapped around her head, covering soft black hair.  
  
"Hello." She said shyly. Alicia nudged him. "She's in fifth year like you."  
  
Harry kept gazing at her, racking his brain for something to say. "What kind of broom do you have?" He blurted out. Fatima blushed. She looked quickly down at the canvas wrapped parcel at her gold-slippered feet. She knelt down and unwrapped it.  
  
A shining, brand-new Firebolt glistened on the wet grass. Fred and George stopped wrestling and stared at it, along with Alicia and Katie. Fred gasped. "Wow! Now we have two Firebolts on our team!" George and him exchanged high fives. "Yes! Slytherin doesn't stand a chance now!" Fatima turned a deeper red. "You mean I'm already on the team?" Fred clapped an arm across her shoulders. "Of course you are, mate. George and I read your transcripts, you're a natural chaser. Now all we need's a keeper and some" "A lot" George interjected "Of practice."  
  
Fatima broke into a huge smile. It was like watching the sunrise on a cloudless sky. Harry smiled back at her. Fred nudged George and winked. He cleared his throat. "Well, we can't play without a keeper, so I'll play. Fred's the better Beater anyway."  
  
"Wait!"  
  
A tall blond boy came running up the field, followed closely by Hermione and Ron. Ron had a slightly bemused smile on his face. He caught up to Harry and whispered onto his ear. "Look who we've brought. Neville." He retreated to the stands with Hermione to watch.  
  
"Neville? Neville Longbottom?" He stared at the tall boy. Neville had grown taller than Ron had during summer. His hair was bleached and his confident smile was no longer gapped. In short, it was not the Neville he knew. Neville gave a short bow to Fatima and smiled. "Hello Harry, team. I'd like to try out for Keeper." George took his arm off Fatima's shoulders and shook Neville's hand. "Good show! Now everyone, since Wood is now dearly departed, I've taken his place. Everyone get in the air and let's try out our skills!"  
  
Neville was amazing. Not once did the quaffle pass the goal hoops, and Fatima was lighter than air on her Firebolt. The quaffle was just a red blur, whizzing between Alicia, Katie, and Fatima. As the sun set, George called everyone down. He was breathing heavily and smiling at them all. "Great job! Next practice is next Tuesday, first game when we get back from the holidays. Now off to bed!"  
  
Ron and Hermione leapt over the barriers and ran across the field to Harry. Ron yelled to him, wrestling a book away from Hermione. "Hey there, Harry! Lookin' good up there! Can I try your Firebolt now? Please?" Harry handed it over and Ron blasted off into the oncoming night, grinning ecstacly. He whipped around and yelled to Hermione. "Hahaha! I've still got it and you can't get me!" He sped off, laughing. Hermione stared after him, furious. She yelled back at him. "You little thief! Give me back my Hogwarts, a History!" Fatima smiled and handed Hermione her own Firebolt. "Go on and get him, Hermy-owny!" She only paused long enough to punch Fatima lightly on the arm before taking off after Ron.  
  
Harry and Fatima stood beside each other in the growing dark, laughing as snatches of the conversation above them drifted down.  
  
"Give me back my book this instant, Ronald Scott Weasly!"  
  
"Ho now, no use calling me names, Hermione Chaise Granger!"  
  
"Jerk!"  
  
"Bookworm!"  
  
At this, Hermione went into a dive, hurtling toward Ron so fast she was a blur. Harry could guess that she was turning bright red in anger as she shouted at Ron.  
  
"Call me a bookworm again and I'll knock you off that broom!"  
  
Ron dodged and held up a cautionary hand. "Okay, okay, Hermione. Geez, I was only having a bit of fu…"  
  
"Say fun and I'll still knock you off that broom!"  
  
Ron handed the book over. Hermione snatched it away and landed on the ground, bouncing off in a huff. Ron landed beside Harry, handed over the broom, and ran after her, shouting "Hermione! I'm sorry I called you a bookworm!"  
  
Harry looked at Fatima's laughing face. He grinned himself. "They really are great friends, but Ron has a funny way of showing it." Fatima stopped laughing and picked up her broom where Hermione had dropped it. She was still smiling as she dusted it off. Harry followed suit.  
  
"It's a lot more exciting here than in Calcutta. Is it always this entertaining at Hogwarts?"  
  
"You have no idea." Harry said ruefully. He stood there for a second then cleared his throat. "Shall I escort you back to your dorm?"  
  
It was so dark that he couldn't read her expression, but he sensed that she was smiling. "Of course, Harry. I'm in Gryffindor." She paused, then added shyly, "Like you."  
  
Feeling gallant, he offered his arm and was very surprised when she took it. Brooms over shoulders, they hiked back up to the common room.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
The Yule Ball…Again  
  
Harry walked downstairs to breakfast with Ron after everyone had left, choosing to avoid the snide comments and curious glances today. Down there, they found Hermione eating corn flakes in an almost resentful way. She mumbled a good morning. They sat across from her. Ron reached for the milk jug. "Hey, Hermione, what's eating you?"  
  
She plunked her spoon down and looked at him angrily.  
  
"You don't know? Didn't you see the sign in the common room?"  
  
Ron looked at Harry, confused. "No, why?"  
  
Hermione sighed and leaned back in her chair. "They're making the Yule Ball a Hogwarts tradition."  
  
Harry's heart sank into his toes.  
  
"WHAT?" Ron exploded. "That nightmare AGAIN?" He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. "Merlin's beard, Harry, are we in trouble." Hermione stood up and grabbed a stack of books. Harry thought that odd, since it was the weekend, after all. She grabbed a goblet, chugged the pumpkin juice in one gulp, wiped her mouth scornfully at Ron, and stalked away. Ron stared after her, then peered into the empty goblet.  
  
"She's getting good. That goblet was full when we got here."  
  
Then he groaned and rested his head on the table.  
  
"Ugh, that Yule Ball again. Just when you thought it was safe to go back to school, POW, they hit you with a stupid ball. And it's here to stay, if Hermione is to be believed. Do you think she'll go with me?"  
  
Harry, startled by this sudden question, answered, "Well, if you ask her the right way…wait, are we talking about HERMIONE?"  
  
Ron gave him an evil look out of one eye. "No, we're talking about Professor McGonagall."  
  
Harry sighed with Ron and rubbed his forehead. "Well, if you don't ask her like you did last year, I don't see why not…unless of course, Durmstang and Beauxbatons are coming again. I'm not going to this one, last time was bad enough."  
  
Ron groaned again, remembering the last time. "That was a waste of a Christmas. If Padma asks me I'll throw myself in the lake."  
  
"What if Hermione asks you?" Harry said quietly.  
  
Ron didn't answer.  
  
^ ^ ^  
  
In the days that followed, Harry noticed that everyone seemed to be a lot nicer to him than they had been lately. Girls passed him the pumpkin juice at breakfast without spilling it on him, George and Fred played the minimum of jokes, and even Snape seemed to ignore him more, which was a great improvement over his sarcasm and not-so-subtle insults.  
  
The next Saturday, Harry went downstairs to breakfast and found Ron reading the notice for the Yule ball over and over. Harry read over his shoulder.  
  
Attention all Hogwarts Students  
  
The Yule Ball is now an established Hogwarts tradition and from this moment on, every year on December the 20th, from seven p.m. to midnight, a Christmas ball will be held in the great hall.  
  
Dress robes should be worn.  
  
Third years and below may not attend unless accompanied by an older student.  
  
Have a happy Christmas!  
  
Professor A. Dumbledore, headmaster  
  
Ron leaned against the wall, forehead pressed against the stone. "Why?" He wailed. "Why? They didn't even have the decency to put it on Christmas, so I can't say that I have to go home for the holidays. We have to go."  
  
Harry re-read the notice. "I don't get it."  
  
Ron turned to him and grabbed his shoulders, wild-eyed. "Don't you understand? It's scheduled for the last day of term, before break starts. There isn't any reason to miss it!"  
  
Harry grabbed Ron's wrists. "Ron, calm down. You're starting to scare me."  
  
"And me."  
  
Hermione appeared behind Ron and wrenched his hands away from Harry's shoulders, turned him toward her, and slapped him. Ron took a deep breath, pressing his hand to his cheek.  
  
"Thanks, I needed that."  
  
"I'll say you did." Hermione turned to Harry. "Harry, I've got a message for you." She handed a note to him. It was wrapped in light pink paper. Harry stared at it, then looked up at Hermione. "Who's it from?"  
  
She sniffed. "Well, if it doesn't say in the note, then I'm not telling. Figure it out for yourself." She pushed the portrait door open and stalked out. Ron and Harry stared at each other for a moment then rushed over to the armchair in front of the fire. Harry sat in it and Ron leaned over the top. Harry tore the note open and a waft of roses hit his nose. Ron sniffed appreciatively. "Does the job well, doesn't she?"  
  
Harry unfolded the note. A note was printed on it in red ink, in a writing that he didn't know.  
  
Harry, If you are still missing a date for the Yule ball, I know a girl who will love to go with you. Put a blank piece of blue parchment on the windowsill of the great hall by December 19th and I will get back to you.  
  
A friend  
  
P.S. Hermione is delivering this note only for a personal favor. She had nothing to do with its composition.  
  
Harry refolded the note slowly and looked up at Ron. He let out his breath in a low whistle. "Well, you've got friends, Harry." He looked at the wall calendar hanging beside the announcement. "The ball is in two days, Harry. Monday. We have the day off."  
  
"I know…" Harry said slowly. "Who would want to go with me?"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "My friend, you are Harry-freaking-Potter. Of course girls would like to associate with you. What I don't know" he waved his hand at the parchment "Is who would go through so much trouble to go with you."  
  
"Hey, Hermione, have you owed anyone a favor recently?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
Ron cleared his throat. After a glance from Harry, he slid the note across the table to her. She read it, her eyes widening. "Well, you've got friends, Harry."  
  
Harry was uncannily reminded of Ron. Shaking it off, he asked her, "Well? Any idea who sent it?" Hermione's eyes were still wide. She shoved her books into her bag. "Oh yes, I know who sent it."  
  
Ron leaned across the table to her eagerly. "Yes?"  
  
She put up her chin. "Not telling, Ron. I'd suggest you start looking closer at the girls you know Harry. If you need any blue parchment I've got some."  
  
She was almost to the portrait hole when Ron stood up, knocking over his chair. He bit his lip and said over-loudly. "Are you…are you…going with anyone yet?" She didn't turn around when she stopped and said, "No Ron."  
  
Ron bit his lip harder, and Harry could see that he was mentally battling with himself. "Oh." Was all he could manage to say. Hermione slid out of the portrait hole.  
  
Ron righted his chair and sat down, his hands shaking. "I didn't ask her. I didn't do it…" He laid his head on the table, mumbling to himself. "Stupid Weasly." He shook himself and got up. "Come on Harry. Let's go put that parchment on the windowsill."  
  
The thought of Malfoy playing a trick on him had crossed Harry's mind, but then he reasoned that Hermione would have told him if it was a prank. He surreptitiously placed a piece of blue parchment on the windowsill at dinner, and noticed through stolen glances that it disappeared about halfway through, and reappeared at the end. He picked it up and looked at it at the end of dinner. There was a little writing on it.  
  
Harry Potter:  
  
Meet me at the statue of Goric the Goblin right after dinner, and then if you still want to go with me tomorrow I'll be waiting.  
  
Thank you-  
  
The signature was smudged, but he could discern an 'a' and an 'm' in the dark blue ink. He looked up at Ron, who wore a bemused expression. "What do you think?"  
  
Ron shook his head. "Well, she's either very very shy, very very mysterious, or she really wants to see you look very very stupid."  
  
"Thanks, I feel better now." Harry snapped. "Tell you what, I'll take the invisibility cloak and see if she's got a bunch of friends waiting to laugh at me first." He felt slightly guilty at using his father's cloak like that, but he didn't want to look dumb and desperate, either.  
  
He ran up to his dormitory after dinner, dug through his trunk, and came up with the invisibility cloak. After whispering to Ron that he'd tell who asked him later, he put it on and slipped downstairs to the statue of Goric the Goblin.  
  
He arrived five minutes later, and peered around the corner to see who was there. What he saw made his heart stop.  
  
Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson where standing in a half-circle around a blue-shrouded, gold-slippered figure huddled against the wall. Pansy aimed a kick at the figure. "Stupid foreigner! Go back to where you belong!"  
  
Malfoy snickered and grabbed Pansy's arm. "Now, now, Pansy." He said in mock concern. "She deserves her space, doesn't she, boys?" Crabbe and Goyle snickered stupidly as Malfoy drew out his wand. "But she won't need that much space as a beetle, will she?" he pointed the wand at Fatima.  
  
Harry was quicker. Before Malfoy could mutter any spell, he set a body- bind on each of the four tormentors. He grabbed Fatima's arm and she let out a scream. Harry had forgot he was invisible! He cursed under his breath and pulled her over to an empty classroom. She struggled all the way until he pulled off the cloak. Then she stared in amazement. Then she spoke. "Well, Harry, do you usually wander around school invisible?"  
  
Harry flushed. "No." Not really. Only when I'm sneaking down to the restricted section of the library , or helping arch-criminals escape to freedom with an illegal time-turner, or saving the muggle-borns from basilisks …  
  
She looked down and back up to him, smiling. "Thank you for rescuing me."  
  
Harry felt his chest swell slightly. "You have to watch out for Malfoy's gang. They don't like anyone besides Slytherins." He informed her.  
  
Then he remembered why he was running around invisible in the first place. "Were you the one who wanted to go the ball with me?"  
  
Her dark face flushed and she bit her lip before answering, "Yes. I had only just got here a day before the tryouts for Quidditch, and I met Hermione in the library, and she talked about you so much that I started liking you right away, and at tryouts…" She trailed off. "I'm really very shy usually. I'm sorry I had to work up this much mystery to ask you." He stared at her, speechless. "T-t-that's okay." He stammered. 'I-I-I-don't know what to say…"  
  
Fatima's eyes misted over. "Will you go with me after all?" She whispered.  
  
Harry bit his lip. Prime opportunity…he should take it.  
  
"Sure, no problem."  
  
Fatima smiled broadly. "Thank you, Harry." Then, suprising everyone including herself, she leaned forward quickly, gave him a swift kiss on the cheek, and disappeared into the hallway, giggling softly to herself. Harry remained in the classroom, stunned.  
  
He wandered back to the common room, giving the password (frog spawn) and pushing open the portrait hole. He stepped in, and everyone's heads turned towards him. He stood in the threshold, puzzled. Then there was a collective sigh of disappointment and all the heads turned back. Slightly perturbed, he looked up, and saw a huge (in his view) bundle of mistletoe hung with tiny bells. Immensely relieved that he hadn't escorted Fatima to the common room, he went to an armchair in front of the fire to wait for Ron and Hermione to tell them about his encounter with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and…Fatima. Just thinking her name made his heart beat faster, and he smiled.  
  
The common room turned silent. Everyone seemed to be listening to the conversation outside the portrait hole.  
  
"It's really easy, Ron. All you have to do is add the mandrakes before the armadillo scales, and then just stir until the potion turns red…frog spawn."  
  
The portrait hole swung open, and Ron and Hermione were standing in the hallway. Ron was handing a stack of books back to her, nodding as she explained a potion to him. They stepped through the threshold together, still talking. A rash of giggles swept through the common room.  
  
"But I still don't get it, Hermione. Why do you have to add the powdered turtle…" His voice trailed off as he noticed that everyone was staring at them. "What?"  
  
Laughter echoed through the chamber. Hermione looked up, turned bright red, and whispered into Ron's ear. His jaw dropped as he looked above his head. He mouthed, "Oh Crud" and looked to Harry for help. Harry just grinned and flashed the thumbs-up. Dean Thomas leaned across to talk to him, smirking. "'Tis wizard mistletoe, Harry. They have to kiss, or their lips swell up." "Compliments of Weasly's wizard wheezes!" George interjected. They cracked up laughing.  
  
Ron and Hermione faced each other, still red as beets. Hermione slowly kneeled down and put her stack of books on the floor. Ron looked down at her. Her head only came up to his nose, and she was looking up at him, brown and brown locked together. The common room went silent again, but respectfully. Harry could see Ron's battle with himself, then his firm decision. Ron put his hands on Hermione's shoulders, pulled her toward him, met his lips with hers. Hermione blushed redder, but threw her arms around his neck and kissed him right back. Applause broke out, and everyone went back to chattering. Suddenly, Ron and Hermione's eyes went wide, as if they had just realized what they were doing, and pulled away. Hermione picked up her stack of books, still blushing, and rushed up the stairs to her dormitory. Ron followed suit, but as he passed Fred and George, he gave them both a high-five. Harry followed him upstairs a few minutes later.  
  
Ron was lying on his bed, grinning stupidly at the ceiling. Harry waved a hand in front of his face. Ron blinked. "Oh, hello Harry. I just kissed Hermione. "  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and sat on his own bed, pulling off his shoes.  
  
"Yeah, Ron. That was interesting."  
  
Ron sat up, suddenly fearful. "Is it okay, Harry?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry said cautiously, unlacing his left shoe.  
  
Ron flushed. "That…well…I like Hermione, and well…If you did, then…"  
  
Harry bit back a smile. "Ron, it's perfectly okay with me if you like Hermione. Just stay away from Fatima Haidi. She's…" Harry stopped, then considered. "She's just not your type."  
  
They both burst out laughing.  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Waltzing, Wizards, and an Unexpected Discovery  
  
Harry yawned and stared out of the window of his dorm. He was still waiting for Ron to finish messing with his hair in the bathroom. Harry had been ready for twenty minutes. He was in his old green robes, but had managed to execute a tricky charm that added gold trim around the edges of the sleeves and neck. He also had spent half an hour in the bathroom, trying to make his hair lie flat with liberal amounts of sleekeazie's hair gel. He had pulled it off, but he felt like he had just dumped a bucket of slug slime on his head.  
  
Ron finally emerged, wearing red silk robes and a light red velvet cloak embroidered with a Chinese dragon. He had also slicked his hair, but his actually looked good, thought Harry, depressed. He picked up the small box that held his present for Fatima. Ron grimaced.  
  
"I feel like an idiot. It was nice of Fred and George to get me new dress robes. They let me pick them out." He shook his head. "Dunno why. I thought they'd charmed them so they'd be too long or something." He turned to the mirror. Harry had to bite his lip to keep from yelping in suprise. The dragon on the back had stretched and flexed its claws, roaring noiselessly.  
  
"Ron…your dragon's doing weird things…"  
  
Ron twisted his neck to see, and his face beamed. "Wow! I didn't know it could do that!" He grinned. "That is so cool!" The dragon froze in a different position. Ron grabbed his present for Hermione (A very small, thin box) and they set off downstairs, chatting about Quidditch.  
  
The common room seemed more crowded than usual. Everyone was talking, laughing or opening presents. Wrapping paper was strewn around the floor, and several tin birds were fluttering around chirping. Several people were walking around with swollen lips. Fatima and Hermione were waiting by the fire. Fatima wasn't wearing robes, but a pastel lavender and gold tunic thing over darker purple silk pantaloons. A translucent silk scarf trimmed with gold covered her hair, which was braided around glittering gold clasps.  
  
If Fatima was beautiful, Hermione was amazing. She looked so different that Harry didn't recognize her at first. Her robes were a light red like Ron's, but gold sparkles were scattered across it so it shimmered when she moved. She had a gold bangle on her left wrist, and her hair was caught up in a gold net. Not a strand was out of place on either girl.  
  
Ron was dumbfounded. Harry was speechless. Everyone was smiling.  
  
Hermione clasped Ron's arm, breaking the spell. She smiled dazzlingly and handed him a small box. "Do you want your present now, or at Christmas?"  
  
"Now." Ron tore open the paper, and in the box was a small picture frame. It was decorated a forest and hunting scene. As they watched, a hunter shot an arrow, the horse's legs pounded the earth, and the deer being chased dashed in to the edge of the wooden frame. Ron smiled softly and thanked her. "I'll ask Colin Creevey to take a picture for us, eh Harry?" He said, giving Harry a nudge and a wink. "Who's next?"  
  
Harry handed Fatima her present, blushing slightly as she opened it. He had made her a corsage, but it was made of ice. After Harry had carved the orchid, he had charmed it so it would never melt and would only be pleasantly cool. She put it on immediately, and it caught the pastel tones of her tunic.  
  
However, Ron had managed to outdo Harry this time. When Hermione opened her gift, she gasped and clutched Ron's arm harder. "Oh, Ron, how did you do it?"  
  
Ron flushed modestly. "All by myself, all yesterday. I thought you would like it."  
  
Hermione lifted a thin string out of the small box Ron had given her. At first Harry thought it was just a red silk strand, but then he realized it was a bracelet made out of tiny, flickering flames. He was impressed. That was a difficult charm to do, even for Hermione. She clasped it around her wrist, where it gave the illusion of her hand being on fire.  
  
Finally, Fatima handed Harry a package the size of his thumb. Curious, he opened it to find a tiny tin snitch fixed to a pin. The metal gleamed gold and silver. The tiny wings fluttered softly. He grinned and pinned it on.  
  
The foursome set off downstairs, arms linked.  
  
* * *  
  
The grand hall was astounding. Thousands of stars lit up the ceiling, and the stained glass windows glowed from the outside. Twelve Christmas trees lined the hall, and they were decorated with everything from glass ballerinas that danced in midair to purple bubbles that shimmered every color of the rainbow. Fatima gasped and clutched Harry's arm, her corsage winking in the candlelight. Music was already playing, but nobody was dancing yet. They were all seating themselves at the same small tables they had eaten at last year. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fatima, Ginny, and Ginny's friend Cecilia sat at the same large table. Ginny and Cecilia hadn't wanted dates, so they went alone. Over his dinner, (salmon with cream sauce and capers) Harry listened to Ron and Hermione argue about the purpose of potions. Ron thought that they shouldn't have to take it as a required subject, whereas Hermione steadfastly defended the importance of brewing.  
  
In the middle of a rather heated statement from Ron about Professor Snape, Dumbledore stood up. He cleared his throat and smiled at them all.  
  
"Dear ladies, gentlemen, and students of Hogwarts," he began. "I hope all of you will enjoy the annual ball, but there are a few guidelines I must read before the dancing commences.  
  
First, there must be no lake-dunking, rosebush-blasting, or consumption of alcoholic beverages."  
  
A groan rose up from the Ravenclaw table, with hearty laughing from the Hufflepuffs.  
  
"Next, every student must be out of the grounds and in the school by midnight."  
  
There was another collective groan from everyone, followed by giggles. Ron nudged Harry and pointed at Draco Malfoy's table, where Harry's nemesis sat, apparently pleading with Pansy Parkinson. She was getting madder and madder by the look of it. Dumbledore spoke again.  
  
"Well, time is wasting away, so I'll stop talking and let-"  
  
WHAP!  
  
Pansy slapped Malfoy so hard the whole hall heard. She got up, bright red, and ran from the hall while everyone started to laugh in the stunned silence that followed. Malfoy slid underneath the table, his face pink, and the mark where Pansy had hit him turning scarlet. Hermione's eyebrows went up. "Pansy's not a bad girl, come to think of it." She took a casual sip of her pumpkin juice as the rest of their table sniggered.  
  
Dumbledore tried again.  
  
"As I was saying, the dancing will be held in the grand hall and outside, being as there's more of us this year and it's nice and warm. Let the ball begin!"  
  
Everyone stood up at the same time and made a beeline for the outside dance floor. Ron stayed seated, turning slightly red, "You go on, Harry. I'm still hungry." Ginny and Cecilia stood up at the same time. "Oh, no Ron. You're not pulling that!" Ginny grabbed Ron's arm and Cecilia grabbed Hermione's, pulling them together. "Dance!" They looked at each other awkwardly.  
  
"Oh honestly." Cecilia snorted. "Don't you know how to dance?"  
  
Ron shrugged, almost shyly. "Nope."  
  
Cecilia turned to Harry and Fatima. "Do you know how to dance?"  
  
Silence, then they all smiled weakly. Fatima cleared his throat. "Ahh, at my old school, The Calcutta Institute for Magically Gifted Children, there was a dance club." She started to blush. "And, ahh, I was a member for four years." Ginny grinned. "See? Fatima knows how to dance. Teach us!" Fatima grinned. "Okay, let's go outside."  
  
Colored lamps and the scent of jasmine were in the air. A few smudge pots were placed here and there, so it was pleasantly cool instead freezing cold. On a raised platform at the edge of a paved circular courtyard, a band was playing a slow, sweet tune. Fatima lit up. "That's a waltz! Here Harry, this is how you dance." She place one of his hands on her waist, and took the other one in her hand. Her other hand went on his shoulder.  
  
Ron and Hermione followed suit, looking a bit self-conscious. Ginny and Cecilia stood by, grinning. Fatima started a simple one-two-three step, and they caught on right away. Harry and his partner spun into the crowd, smiling. Ron and Hermione followed, attracting stares because they looked so good together…and they weren't fighting. 


End file.
